Russel is a registered Business Accountant in Practice through the Southern Institute for Business Accountants (SAIBA), and a registered Tax practitioner through the South African Institute of Tax Practitioners (SAIT). He holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science degree from the University of South Africa and a National Diploma in Financial Information Systems from Tshwane University of Technology.
Russel is the founder of Shinyawani Group of Companies (Pty) Ltd. He has won various entrepreneurial awards in the province of the Free State.